


Mr. Bee meets Charly

by JAKishu



Series: Little Sherlock [16]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angelo's Restaurant, Gen, Italian Food, Molly is sick, baby sitter needed, crying william, greg is working, john needs to go away, mrs. Hudson visi ther sister, mycroft is busy, sad william, tresure island, william makes new friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 03:57:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13309917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAKishu/pseuds/JAKishu
Summary: John needs someone who could watch William for the weekend. An old friend of his helps out and brings someone special for them to meet.





	1. Weekend without John

**Author's Note:**

> This is Sandrina´s birthday present, a story for and with her.   
> Enjoy the trip. ^^

It was Thursday evening and John had a problem.

His problem was three years old, breathtakingly cute and looking at him right now with tears in his eyes. For the third time during this month John found himself in the role of a parent. Not that he would ever complain about it, William was a role model for every child but right now he had no time to take care of his friend who had the form and age of a child again. These sudden changes, which were a side effect of his experiment, nearly a year ago, always happened in the worst possible moments. For example when John needed to go to a medical conference for the weekend where he couldn’t take a child with him.

“William, there is no need to cry. We will find someone who can look after you.” That wasn’t the right thing to say because now the tears fell freely.

“You don’t like me anymore and want me gone.” Sighing John took William in his arms, cuddled him tightly and they sat down on the sofa together. On the sofa William snuggled into John´s arms and held his favorite toy, Mr. Bee very close.

John stroked William´s wild curls. “I have to go to this conference, I´m one of the people who talk there, it is very important.”

“Is it more important than me?” John knew before this discussion even started that he would lose.

“No sweetheart you are the most important thing to me. But with this speech I want to help army doctors like I was one. I want to help them when they are in the field so they can help the soldiers who are hurt better.” Sarah had told him about the topic of this conference: ‘Doctor´s in extreme workplaces’ and John offered to speak about his time in the army and his work in the field. This had been planned since months but now with William in his lap, who questioned his love it was hard to just say that he had to go.

“But I will be alone. I don’t want to be alone.” John pulled the child closer.

“You won´t be alone. I will ask Uncle Mycroft. Maybe you can have a sleep over and Mr. Bee could tell you a few of his secrets.” John needed a backup plan; he wasn’t sure when Sherlock would turn back, it could be in five minutes or five days. The last time it was only an hour before that he had to deal with his flatmate being a child for ten days. “Let me make a call.” William nodded and returned his attention back to his bee without letting go of John´s shirt.

* * *

Mycroft answered his phone after the second ring, sounding busy and tired. “Doctor Watson, what can I do for you? I´m a bit busy right now, preventing the next world war.” That didn’t sound too good.

“I was hoping you would have the weekend off so you could watch William. I´m at a medical conference and I don’t know when he turns back.”

“I´m sorry Doctor but I´m not in the country right now and there is no way I will come back before Wednesday. You have to find someone else to mind my brother, someone he likes. I´m very sorry.” John knew he was, the two brothers would never say it out loud, but they loved each other and shared a deep bond.

“Not your fault but thanks anyway and Mycroft… stop that war, you know Sherlock hates what it does to the traffic.” Their little inside joke was for Mycroft to smile so he wouldn’t feel guilty for not having time for his little brother.

“I will try, take care you two.” Mycroft ended the call

John needed a new plan. First a list of every possible person who William knew long enough to feel comfortable to stay with.

Mycroft, his first choice, didn’t have no time. He could also ask Greg or Mrs. Hudson but taking care of a child could be a bit much for their landlady. She wasn’t the youngest anymore. Maybe she and Greg could share the weekend.

“William, Mycroft is in another country and won´t be here for the weekend because he has to work. Would you like to stay with Greg and Mrs. Hudson?” Maybe Greg could stay over in the flat and Mrs. Hudson could come up when he needed to go out for something.

“That would be nice. Mrs. Hudson wants to bake a chocolate cake with me, we could do that and Greg can draw with me again, like the last time he visited.” William didn’t sound or looked to upset about his Uncle Mycroft being busy with work. Sadly it reminded John of what he had told him about their parent´s behavior.

John picked up William and walked downstairs with him to knock at Mrs. Hudson´s door but after the second knock he remembered already that she was gone for the weekend too, visiting her sister. Sherlock would have been alone for the weekend. “She isn’t home. Let´s call Greg. Maybe he can bring you some crayons.”

* * *

John tried to reach the policeman but after the fourth time of only reaching his mailbox he decided to leave a message behind and to wait for him to call back. While waiting for him to return the call, John and William prepared dinner together. Together, meant, that John did everything a child can´t do because it´s too dangerous and William ’helped’ by putting the chopped vegetables into the casserole dish. They were having a veggie and potato casserole. John was happy to cook something healthy for a change and not to eat another take away this week. He should talk to Sherlock about the whole food thing again. Not that the man who didn’t need food for days had interest in healthy food at all. He was happy with his Indian or Chinese’s food. Sometimes they would go out, to Angelo´s or one of the other restaurants Sherlock rated as worth going to but they rarely uses their kitchen for anything else than preparing tea and breakfast.

At the same moment, as John put the food into the oven his phone, which he had laid on the table, started to ring. “William can you take the phone and answer it? That should be Greg.”

“Okay.” William reached for the phone and pressed the green button. “Hello Greg.” The casserole was safe in the oven. “No this is William.” John turned to watch his little charge on the phone. He always founds it very interesting to watch the child interact with other people. “Yes, John is here too. We are making dinner together. I put all the vegetables inside the casserole and they all had different colors. I liked the orange carrots and the green things and there are lots of yellow potatoe´s on top of it and the cheese is yellow, too. I like yellow.” John waited for William to finish or for Greg to ask for him, which turned out to be the case. “Yes, I will ask him.” William turned to John. “Greg wants to speak to you.” John nodded and took the phone after William could say his ‘good bye’ to Greg.

“Hey Greg, please tell me you are free this weekend?” He didn’t want to sound that desperate but slowly John was getting out of options of people he could trust William with. Some stranger was out of question, let alone for the reason that William could turn back any second.

“Not really, I´m in New Castle, there is a killer on the run who was operating in London before. So the NSY has some kind of cooperation thing going and I´m the one that plays on the other team, they don’t like people form London, or any place else. Why are you asking and why is Sherlock a child again?” Not another one. Why was everyone busy this weekend? If he wouldn’t know better he would have suspected Sherlock himself had something to do with it, to have a very quiet weekend.

“Mycroft has no solution for this changing thing and the reason I´m calling is that I need someone to watch him for the weekend because I´m at a conference. It can only be someone who knows him and his condition.” Who was left he could call?

“Maybe you can ask Molly she would do it, she is good with kids.” John hadn’t thought about Molly, she had only had short contact with William but it was an emergency and he knew she would be good with him.

“I will ask her. Thanks and have fun with your colleagues, tell them about Sherlock and about the rubbish he let you work with. It could get you a bit of sympathy or pity. You can still go for a pint that warms the heart.” John ended the call. The food would need another twenty minutes in the oven.

“William, do you remember Molly? You know the nice woman who brought you medicine when you were ill.” William nodded as he looked up from his play with Mr. Bee at the kitchen table, the bee was wearing a chef hat. They had found it between Mr. Bee´s clothes. “I could ask her to watch you during the weekend. She has a cat, her fur is very soft and you could play with her.”

“A cat? What´s her name and what color is her fur and does she bite?” William loved animals, especially dogs but also cats and every other creature that he came across.

“So I can call her?” An excited nod followed. “Good, but I can´t answer your other questions William, because I have never met this cat.”

“Oh. Then I will tell you when I meet her.” William continued to put on different outfits on Mr. Bee, they wanted to play later and his friend needed the right clothing for this event. Right now the bee was wearing a pirate’s hat and an eyepatch.

* * *

Before John called Molly they had their dinner. William was hungry and since John knew Sherlock hadn’t had a real meal for days, this was more important. William blew carefully on every bite he took. The child was a bit afraid to burn his tongue but ate all the vegetables and even wanted a second plate.

After dinner and cleaning the kitchen, John sat down in his chair and William played pirate with Mr. Bee on the sofa. The sofa was the pirate ship and only pirates were allowed to step on it. While John watched William play he took up his phone and hoped for Molly to both be free and feeling able to handle a child.

He pressed the call bottom and waited. Just as John decided that Molly must be busy and was about to hang up, she answered the call with a cough. “Are you alright Molly?” John asked when she was finished and taking deeper breaths again.

“Hey John, not really, got this naughty flu and the couching just won´t stop.” She sneezed and he could hear her search for a tissue. “Why are you calling, is everything okay?”

Sweet Molly was always thinking of others. “Yeah we are good. I need someone who can watch William for the weekend but I don’t think it is a good idea to bring him to you; you need to rest with your flu and all. Watching William would be too stressful.”

“Maybe you can ask Mrs. Hudson or Detective Lestrade. Sherlock likes them both.” Another cough follows. “Or his brother, they always fight but they can work together.”

“Don’t worry, you should go back to bed, doctors order.” He couldn’t tell her that he had tried all the people they could think off.

“Yes mummy.” John could hear her smile over the phone. “Take care of him and good luck with your conference.” She ended the call before he could say good bye, probably falling back into bed and asleep in a second. He would call her later again to see if she needed anything and ask if someone was taking care of her.

John had a problem and it was playing pirate with his favorite toy on the sofa. All people that knew Sherlock as Sherlock and William and wouldn’t be surprised when the child that they were babysitting would change into a grown man were busy.

 _Think John_. John could hear his friend´s voice in his mind. _Think_. So he needed someone who William didn’t know and who he would trust enough to let them in on that kind of secret. He needed a person with very special skills, appearance and empathy. They also needed a few more qualities.

  * Time this weekend
  * Good with children
  * Someone he could trusts
  * Ability to keep a secret
  * Should be able to stay with Sherlock after he turns back, in case William reappears again
  * A good cook
  * None threatening looks
  * Someone too good for this world



John looked at his list and sighed. Where should he find someone like that? He could ask Mycroft but he didn’t want to trust William with one of his men … or women. Someone he knew. No army buddy, they were all just gigantic men and William would be afraight of them. Not his sister, she was in one of her off phases with Clara, again and she was drinking, again. Rolling his eyes he tried not to think about it. He had offered her help, his home and everything else. When she was done with her self-pity she would turn up and ask for it and he would give it to her.

Maybe someone from work. Sarah was with him at this conference; he wouldn’t give William to another doctor or nurse.  He didn’t have enough friends he would trust. John took up his phone again and opened his contacts, starting with A he scrolled through the list. It took him until the letter S to find a person that he could imagine to trust William with.

John wouldn’t ask William, he had no choice and thought William should like her. For the fourth time this evening he called someone. Mycroft really needed to find a cure.


	2. New friend

John and William finished their breakfast. After their morning routine and dressing John let William play with the books in the bookshelf while he packed his suitcase. He wasn’t sure playing was the right word to use when a three year old was looking through an old anatomy book from his study time and reads it out lout to Mr. Bee but right now he had a bigger problem: Would William like the person he choose to watch him or wouldn’t he?

The doorbell rang just as John finished packing; right on time. John hadn’t told William a thing about his company for the weekend. One reason was that the child hadn’t asked. “William would you like to meet a friend of mine.” William looked up; he hadn’t heard neither the doorbell nor the door, too focused on his book. He stood up, Mr. Bee in his hand and walked over to John to see the person who was hiding outside the door.

William knew the word hiding was wrong. The person outside didn’t hide. The person merely waited to be let in. John stepped back and a woman with short hair and a shy smile walked into the flat. William stood back a bit. He had learned that new people weren’t always a bad thing and that you should at least try to talk to them. That was the reason William finally came nearer and stopped very close to John, holding his friend tighter.

The woman smiled at him, but no in an evil manner like the bad guys in movies do or like those fake smiles he hates other people put on their faces to get something. This smile was warm and honest and it looked a bit like John´s smile when he watched him playing and thought he wouldn’t notice that he was watched.

“Hello William, my name is Sandrina and I´m one of John´s friends, nice to meet you.” The woman, Sandrina got down on her knees and offered him her hand. William likes to be greeted liked John, he had watched it often and it was a nice way to make new friends, like an adult. Children were somehow more difficult for William to get to know.

“Hello, I´m William and that is Mr. Bee.” William offered one of Mr. Bee´s arms to Sandrina to shake, which she did.

“William, Sandrina is a friend I met though work, she helps to make medical books and she offered to watch you for the weekend.” John watched William´s emotions travel over his face. They changed from happy to meet someone new to John will leave me alone. “Don’t cry.” But the tears were already falling. John picked up the crying mess and held him tight. “I´m sorry that I can´t be here but Sandrina is a very nice person, she will play with you and you can draw a few pictures for me. We can put them on the fridge and she will make you really special food. Please William, stop crying, it´s only for two days. I´ll be back at Sunday afternoon and I bring you a surprise.” Nothing helped William kept crying and John did not have the heart to leave him like that. He knew his cab was waiting downstairs and he would be late for the train (hopefully not too late) but William kept crying and he couldn’t leave him like that.

“John you have to go, I will take care of him.” She was probably right, William would not take any harm when he lefts now but it did feel like it. Maybe he should start to teach William to be a bit less dependent. He sighed, knowing he had no choice.

“You are right.” Slowly he pulled William away from his body. “William I have to go now or I will miss the train. Then it takes me more time to come back to you.” This wasn’t true but maybe William would understand that he had to let go of him so he could come back faster. “Show me what a big boy you are. You frighten Mr. Bee and Sandrina by crying without reason. I will be back very soon. Promise.”

John could see how hard it was for William to stop crying but at least the boy tried to be strong. “That’s it. I will be back as soon as I can.” He let William down and waved at him as he walked down the stairs. John felt guilty, he knew there was no reason but it felt like he had become somehow the parent for his three year old flatmate and parents always feel guilty in one or another way. He sighed and tried to concentrate; he had to go over his speech again. 

* * *

 

William was on the sofa sad and very unhappy. Mr. Bee sat next to him. William didn’t feel like holding him, he wanted John and it wasn’t fair that he couldn’t have his cuddle with John when he clearly needed it. He ignored John´s friend. It was nice that John brought in a friend but he wanted John and not a friend. He wasn’t even sure if Uncle Mycroft would have been enough.

After hearing that John would be away for the weekend he felt like every time his parents promised to be there and then canceled in the last minute. Or like the last time they wanted to go to the zoo and his mother got a call and she and father left for two whole weeks. He didn’t like the feeling. Mycroft, Nanna and Mr. Bee were there but parents and especially John were supposed to stay with him.

William looked at Mr. Bee who sat next to him, waiting patiently for him to decide about the cuddling and he really wanted to cuddle someone, he always felt better after a cuddle. Carefully he picked up his friend and stroked the soft, yellow-black belly. “So we are alone again Mr. Bee. John is gone and we have to stay here without him.” William could feel how the tears were coming back. “I don’t like John to be gone.” Mr. Bee was pulled closer and nearly crushed in a hug.

“Hello?” William looked up, no one to be seen. He turned left and then right and finally discovered two long ears. Slowly coming out from behind the sofa´s armrest was a rabbit´s head. “Hey.” The rabbit´s hand appeared and waves at him and Mr. Bee.

William took Mr. Bee´s hand and waved back. “Hello. Who are you?” More of the rabbit´s body appeared, he wore a black jumper.

“I´m Charlie and I came to visit. Do you want to play with me and my friend?” William looked at the rabbit a bit suspiciously.

“Who is your friend?” Now the rabbit was sitting on the arm rest, William liked his shoes.

“Her name is Sandrina and we came a very long way to play with you two.” The rabbit came closer and took one funny step after another. His legs seemed more to be dancing than walking, William thouht it looked a bit odd but Mr. Bee laughed at this way of walking. Maybe the rabbit couldn´t walk properly because he was supposed to jump.

“Where are you from and why did you come? I would prefer to have John with me.” William turned a bit away from the rabbit. He would like to know about the other place but it couldn´t be better than here with John.

“The country is called Germany, we live in the south and you have to cross an ocean to come to London. We traveled in an airplane and we had seats at the window.” The rabbit told him excited. William had never travelled on an airplane before but he would like to do it soon.

He knew about this country, Germany. Mycroft had shown him lots of maps after he got lost one day in the village. They started with a map from the area and finished on a much larger scale: they had a map from the whole world in front of them and his brother told him about all the special places they needed to visit one day. William really wanted to see the Mount Everest. Mycroft said that it was the tallest mountain in the world. And he needed to see the paradise birds that had all the colors of the rainbow. “Did you see the ocean?”

“Yes, we did.” This time it wasn’t the rabbit who was talking. It was Sandrina who sat next to William on the sofa, holding her friend the rabbit perfectly save in her lap. “We also saw a few ships underneath us and as we came closer to the ground while landing we saw little houses and streets with cars right below us.” Sandrina sounded as excited as the rabbit.

“What´s his name? Mr. Bee wants to know it.” William held his bee a bit closer to the rabbit.

“His name is Charlie and he is happy to finally meet you. John has told both of us lots of things about you and we were happy to spend the weekend with you. Charlie and I love to make new friends.” Charlie and Mr. Bee were meeting in the middle between Sandrina and William, they shook hands. “I heard you have a few clothes for Mr. Bee. I also brought Charlie´s wardrobe. Would you like to dress them up, maybe we can swap a few of our clothes to get them new outfits.

William liked the idea, jumped up and got the box with Mr. Bee´s clothes. Uncle Mycroft had given him the box with a few new items in it and to put the old ones in too. Sandrina was already seated on the ground with a suitcase open in front of her with lots of Charlie´s clothes in it. William placed his box next to hers and they started to try on different outfits, some of their own some from the other. They ended up with a Mr. Bee dressed in a leather jacket (William´s) and a summer dress (Sandrina ´s) combined with a pilots hat (also William´s). Charlie wore a Samurai´s armor (Sandrina ´s) with the red scarf, mittens and woolen hat (William´s, because it was cold).

They had fun the whole afternoon and although William hadn’t forgotten about John´s absence, Sandrina and Charlie became friend very fast and he thought he would be able to be without him for the weekend. He wasn’t alone after all.


	3. Sandrina vs. Angelo

William, Mr. Bee and Charlie sat with Sandrina on the kitchen table. William´s tummy had started rumbling a few minutes ago. Sandrina we are hungry.” The child with the two stuffed animals in its hands looked at her with huge eyes.

“Then it´s a good thing that I´m an excellent cook. My Italian food is the best.” She smiled at William, knowing that John had done the shopping for the weekend with all the ingredients she could possibly need. “Tell me. What would you like to eat?”

William was thinking, Italian food... “What is Italian food?”

“Oh there are many different dishes, like pizza, lasagna and tortellini, actually nearly every dish with noodles is Italian. Because noodles are Italian.”

“You mean Angelo´s food. We had take away a few days before and Angelo had put in a special slice of pizza in for me to taste it and rate it. He wants to make a special menu for children on birthdays and I´m the one that chooses which topping is good and can stay.” William explained proudly, forgotten was his hunger and choosing their dinner. “And Angelo always hides a dessert in the bag for me and Mr. Bee. We have to look in the bag first before John can take it.”

“You like pizza? We can make some ourselves and you can decide which one is better. Angelo´s ore mine. But I need your help I can´t do everything on my own.”

* * *

“First we need to make the dough. Have you ever made your own pizza dough?” William shook his head. He was washing his hands. Mr. Bee and Charlie had special seats to watch over the cooking. They needed supervisors and who could do a better job than a bee that kept secrets for the British government and a rabbit that travelled around the world.

“Can you show me where the flour is?” William was now familiar with the kitchen. After the incident with the coffee John did show him every cupboard and every section of the freezer, so William would never have trouble to find anything again.

“The flour is next to the sugar in the left top shelf.” He pointed to the cupboard over the sink. It was easy to find everything when you have a small helper. William as small as he was already had Sherlock´s brilliant mind which could remember everything.

Sandrina let William sit next to the bowl on the worktop. She mixed the ingredients and kneaded the dough to a ball. “This has to rest for half an hour before we can make the pizza crust.” The dough shape like a ball was allowed to rise next to the fire place in a bowl with a towel over it. “Don’t put it too close to the fire. The little creatures in the dough that makes it grow need a bit of warmth but not too much.” She winked at William who smiled and pulled the bowel a bit further away from the fire. The little creature needed a bit of warmth but not too much.

“Sandrina, are the little creatures something like John´s magic tea?” She needed to think about what ‘magic tea’ could mean but she came up with no idea.

“William what is John´s magic tea?” For that question she got an adorable look of confusion.

“John´s magic tea.” She still didn’t understand what he could possibly means. “I thought all adults know how to make it. Uncle Mycroft knows how.”

“I´m sorry. Maybe that’s a British thing. I´m living in Germany.”

“I try to explain it. It’s a secret so it is a bit difficult to explain.” William thought carefully and then looked at Mr. Bee before he started talking again. “Adult´s tea doesn’t taste nice for children.” Sandrina nodded.” But when John or Uncle Mycroft makeone for me it taste nice and it looks different but still smells like tea. It´s magic tea.”

“Does the color get lighter?” William nodded. “Oh then I think I know what you mean.The little creatures in the dough are something else though. They start´ to eat the sugar and produce air. The air makes the dough bigger and we get more pizza.”

“Oh that’s the reason it always takes a while until Angelo brings our food.” William kneeled down with Mr. Bee and Charlie in front of the bowel and took a peak under the towel. “Look you two our dinner is growing.” William giggled fascinated.

“William would you like to help me with the topping. We have to choose what we need and prepare it.”

“Okay. I´m coming.” William stood up. “Mr. Bee, Charlie you two are in charge of the dough. It needs to grow so no peeking under the towel.”

* * *

William choses all ingredients he wanted on his pizza while Sandrina puts spices into the tomato sauce. “What are you doing with the tomato sauce?” William asked while taking the yellow pepper out of the fridge. (Yellow was his favorite color after all)

“That´s my secret recipe for the best tasting pizza of the world. I´m sure your Mr. Angelo has his own way to make his sauce special. This is mine. But I can´t tell you we are still in a competition. Mine vs. Angelo´s pizza.” William´s eyes lit up and Sandrina saw the sparkle in it.

“We have magic pizza.” A laughing and jumping William was running through the kitchen. “Did you hear that Mr. Bee there is not only magic tea but also magic pizza.” William picks up Mr. Bee and danced together with this friend through the living room.

Sandrina smiled while she finished the sauce and started to slice the pepper. She wouldn’t let a three year old handle a knife. “William what else will we put onto the pizza?” She had sliced up everything he had put on the table.

William placed Mr. Bee next to his new friend Charlie to watch the pizza dough growing. “Can we put ham on it? And we need lots of cheese. Cheese is the most important thing on a pizza. We have to sprinkle it on top of the toppings.”

* * *

Since the dough had his time to rise, it had doubled in size. Sandrina rolled it out and lays it on the baking tray until it covered the tray up to every coner. She put the sauce on it and William started with the topping. Yellow pepper, ham, onions, small slices of mozzarella, sweet corn and many more things. On top of everything went the yellow cheese. Sandrina and William looked proudly at their work. “So the final step is to bake our master piece and then eat it.”

Sandrina started to tidy up the kitchen and to set the table, while the pizza in the oven was carefully watched by William, Charlie and Mr. Bee. The three sat in front of the oven and looked through its window. The dough grew a bit more, the red sauce began to cook and the cheese on top of the pizza turned slightly browner in color. “Is it ready yet?” William asked for  the hundredths time.

After two looks, one at her watch and one into the oven Sandrina was satisfied with what she saw. “Now it is ready. Have a seat.” William climbed on his chair with Charlie and Mr. Bee. Both of them were allowed to sit on the table with them. They leaned up against the microscope of John´s flatmate who was never there when William was around. John explained that his flatmate had a very busy life and he was sometimes away for weeks. William had asked John if he was lonely when he was alone in the flat without his flatmate. But John said that he had William and would never feel lonely with him.

Sandrina placed a plate with a cut up piece of pizza in front of William. “Be careful it is still very hot.” She took her own plate and puts it on the table. With his fork William took his first piece, blew to cool it down a bit and ate it.

It tasted special, better than anything they had before from Angelo. “That’s better than Angelo´s, its super yummy.” William took the next bite before he was finish with the first.

“You don’t have to rush there is plenty left for you to eat. If you eat the whole pizza you will be more pizza than boy.” She took a bite too. It was delicious like always. “Do you want to know the secret ingredients?” William nods. “Love. You always have to cook with love. Love for the work and love for the people who will eat it. It’s secret but very important. So I´m the winner in our competition?” William nods while putting another piece of pizza in his mouth smiling about the dinner cooked ‘with love’ that tasted really good.


	4. A goodnight story is part of the deal

“William? How about we go to bed now, I can see you are tired and I think Mr. Bee and Charlie are sleeping already.

“But I want to watch the TV show that’s on in a minute.” Sandrina looked at the program MASH was on, one of her favorites but definitive nothing for children.

“No William this is nothing for children and it is late. We need to brush your teeth so they stay as shiny as they are.” Sandrina offered William her hand and he took it. Together they brushed their teeth and got into their pajamas. William wore his new one; John had bought it for him after he accidently destroyed one. It really was an accident. He had spilled water on it and wanted to dry it in front of the fire. He got too close but John could pull him away from the fire before something happened to him. His pajama was ruined, through. The new one was nearly as good as his old one, which had dinosaurs on it. This one had dragons on it. He would have preferred one with bees but no shop sold pajamas with bees. William had told Uncle Mycroft about it and he promised to find him one with bees for his birthday. That would be a great present. It could never top Mr. Bee he got from Mycroft for his second birthday but a pajama with bees would be good too.

After brushing their teeth William was still not tired and he had a new problem. He couldn´t sleep on his own, not even together with Mr. Bee. He needed someone with him. Sandrina would be good and he would be happy to have Charlie with them but she had no bedroom in this flat. Where would she sleep? She couldn´t sleep in John´s bed. It was John´s and that wasn’t right.  She couldn’t sleep in his flatmate´s, because when he came home he needed his own bed. There was only the sofa left and it wasn’t a good bed. They needed a bed for them a new one.

William looked towards the table in the living room holding Mr. Bee tight. “What do you think, Mr. Bee? Can we build a perfect sleeping place under the table?” Mr. Bee´s answered with a nod, they could. “Sandrina can we have a sleepover in my fortress?”

“What fortress?” She looked confused around the room. There was nothing that could be circumscribed as one.

“The one we will build under the table. With your help the four of us can do it really fast.” William smiled at her.

“You want to sleep in a fortress under the table?” William nodded. “But John set the bed of his flatmate for us. He did ask him and he will be away for another few days. We can have a sleepover in his room.” She wouldn’t sleep well on the floor.

“But I want to, please.” Huge puppy eye attack. But Sandrina could deal with this. She had experience with her two sweet nieces who tried that all the time.

“I have a better idea, we make a really nice and comfy bed in Sherlock´s room and then I will read something to you until you fall asleep. You can choose the book.” John never read to him to fall asleep. Most of the time he was too tired anyway. He reads during the day when William asked. He would get an actually bed time story out of a book, not a story only told. That was nice too but he loved to be read to.

“What kind of book?” They had many books in the flat and he wasn’t sure of what suited the term bedtime story book.

“We could read your favorite or mine.” They had walked over into Sherlock´s room and Sandrina offered him a book. “It is called ‘Exodus’.“

“That´s a strange name for a book.” He turned it around to read the description on the back of the book. “Are there any pirates in it? I like pirate books and my favorite one is ‘Treasure Island’.“

“No there are pirates in this one but the book is named after a ship. If you want pirates then lets read Treasure Island. It´s a long time since I read it.” That would be a nice end of the day with a good night story and sleeping with three friends in one bed. Hopefully John wouldn’t be lonely. William think that weekend could become a very good one.

“Sandrina, can I say good night to John?” She already had her phone in her hands.

“Yes of course you can.” She dialed John´s number. “Hey John, here is someone for you that wants to say good night.” She handed the phone over to William.

“Hello William, shouldn’t you be sleeping?” William could hear the amused tone in John´s voice, he wasn’t mad about the late bed time.

“I´m in bed with my new pajama and with Mr. Bee, Charlie and Sandrina. We have a sleepover in Sherlock´s bed.”

“You made new friends that’s great. I met an old friend and we are having a drink together, so I´m not lonely but I miss you and I am glad when I´m home again and get a hug.”

“I want one too.”

“You are the one I will be getting it from.” William could hear the noises in the background, John must be outside in the cold to talk to him.

“I only wanted to say good night to you and I miss you too. So good night John. Come back soon.”

“Good night William.” John ended the call and William gave the phone back to Sandrina.

* * *

Sandrina and William settled down under the blanket. With Mr. Bee and Charlie between them, both also in their pajamas. They had re-dressed them before bedtime. William snuggled up to Mr. Bee and listened to Sandrina ´s soft voice when she started to read:

_Chapter 1, The Old Sea Dog at the ‘Admiral Benbow’…_


	5. Cover Art

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For her birthday draw my friend Nanna another amazing picture. ^^


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